GEF Small Grants Programme for NGO/CSO/CBO in India

Deadline: 31-Aug-23

Under the 7th Operational Phase of the GEF Small Grants Programme in India, The Energy and Resources Institute (National Host Institution) is inviting proposals for award of Community Grants.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is implementing the Seventh Operational Phase of the GEF (Global Environment Facility) Small Grants Programme (SGP) in India. The project is being executed through The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) over a period of five years.

The Project aims to enable communities and organisation to take collective action for socio-ecological resilience and sustainable livelihoods for local and global environmental benefits in the three key landscapes in India. It will provide financial and technical support to local communities, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs) and civil society organisation (CSOs) mostly in poor and often remote areas for initiatives that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s livelihoods and well-being.

The SGP gives an opportunity to NGOs/CBOs/CSOs to institute adaptive management measures, building upon SGP’s unique position in facilitating socio economic resilience and delivering global environmental benefits through community driven initiative.

Thematic Areas

• The following are the three thematic/ focus areas, under which the projects are required to be developed.
• Each thematic area is followed by an indicative list / examples / themes on which the projects may be developed. The said list is only indicative and not exhaustive.
  • Biodiversity
    • The projects under this thematic area will promote conservation of globally significant biodiversity, sustainable management of natural resources and nature-based livelihoods. Broadly, interventions can be designed to undertake activities that meet overall SGP targets, for example:
      • Agrobiodiversity conservation through preservation and promotion of indigenous seeds, plant species and livestock.
      • Protecting endemic species and endangered and threatened species, e.g., through establishing community-managed ecological corridors to improve habitat integrity.
      • Conservation of globally significant biodiversity or cultural resources, e.g., through Indigenous Community Conserved Areas, Locally Managed Marine Areas.
      • Promoting and strengthening local community institutions such as Biodiversity Management Committees, Peoples Biodiversity Registers, etc.
      • Conservation of Forest Areas through livelihood based eco-restoration activities.
      • Improved marine habitat practices, such as seasonal protection of critical fishing grounds.
      • Collaborative management of protected areas in partnership with PA administration (e.g., community patrol).
      • Management of human-wildlife conflicts in settlements near the borders of the protected areas.
  • Climate Change
    • The projects under this thematic area will contribute towards reducing GHG emissions, adopting energy efficient solutions, and promoting renewable energy including alternatives to fuelwood and coal. GHG mitigation benefits are also envisaged to be generated through restoring rehabilitating degraded agricultural land, forests, and mangroves-wetlands. Broadly, interventions can be designed to undertake such activities that meet overall SGP targets, for example:
      • Mitigation of GHG emissions, e.g., through energy efficient solutions introduced, adapted, piloted, and disseminated.
      • Expanded application of renewable and clean energy solutions for productive uses, such as mills, solar pumps, etc.
      • Increased use of renewable energy, including alternatives to fuelwood and coal.
      • Improved energy efficiency, e.g., for household use and community lighting.
  • Land Degradation
    • The projects will seek to address soil erosion, damaged agricultural land, desertification, and deforestation. Broadly, interventions can be designed to undertake such activities that meet overall SGP targets, for example:
      • Improved provision of agroecosystem, forest and marine ecosystem goods and services (e.g., through reforestation, dissemination of knowledge on improved grazing/livestock maintenance, planting of mangroves, indigenous resilient trees and nurseries).
      • Community-managed natural regeneration of degraded lands and coastal ecosystems.
      • Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in productive landscapes and within buffer zones of protected areas (e.g., sustainable utilization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs)).

Funding Information and Duration

• The SGP can fund various projects upto a sum of US $50,000 each. For organizations in NER, applying under the relaxed criteria, the funding will be up to a sum of US $30,000 each.
• The duration of the project may vary between 18 to 24 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Registration
  • The NGO/CSO/CBO should be registered as a trust / society in India for more than 5 years. The organization must have a minimum of 5 years of experience. Registration documents of the NGO to be submitted.
  • NGO/CSO/CBO must be registered at the DARPAN portal of NITI Aayog and should have a valid unique ID with updated details.
  • IT returns for the FY 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 (mandatory) and FCRA (if applicable) to be submitted.
  • Audited accounts (including Balance Sheet, Income and Expenditure, Schedules, Notes of Accounts, and Auditor’s Report) for the FY 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 to be submitted.
  • The latest Annual Report should be submitted (FY 2022-23).
• Organisational Experience
  • The organization must have at least 5 years of experience working on community-based programmes in the field of environment, climate change, biodiversity conservation and land degradation in the focus landscape.
  • The applicant organization should have an office in the selected intervention landscape state, (Proof of the office in the focus landscape to be submitted).
  • The organization should have undertaken minimum 3 projects in the field of environment, climate change, biodiversity conservation and land degradation of value more than or equivalent to INR 15 lakh each in the last 5 financial years, preferably in the focused landscape. (Relaxation in the eligibility criteria for applicants from North-East Region in terms of project value is INR 5 lakhs).
  • NGOs/CBOs/CSOs should have experience in implementing minimum 3 (three) government/philanthropy/foundation funded projects in the focused landscape. (Relaxation in the eligibility criteria for applicants from North-East Region in terms of minimum projects is 2 (two).
  • The organization must have impacted at least 5000 beneficiaries through their engagement.
  • Ability to co-finance the project by fund raising through parallel sources is expected. Proof of co-financing generated in the last three financial years to be submitted.
  • Preference will be given to organizations who have participated in the earlier phases of the GEF Small Grants Programme in India.
  • The organization should not have been debarred by any Government or UN agency, at any point of time. A self-declaration to this effect to be submitted.
• Financial Capacity
  • The Applicant Organization should have received an average turnover of INR 30,00,000 (Thirty Lakhs) from project grants during any of the last 5 (five) financial years preceding the Proposal due date. Organizations need to provide audited accounts and Auditor’s Report.
• Availability of Key Professionals
  • The Organization must have professionals having adequate experience and expertise in thematic areas and project management for this assignment. Organization should make available Curriculum Vitae of all Key Professionals meeting the requirements of the project. Detailed and duly verified CVs of such professionals should be provided as per the format.

For more information, visit The Energy and Resources Institute.